At RMB we believe that good business creates a better world. Because business is an integral part of society, it has the responsibility to find (and fund) solutions to society’s economic, social and environmental challenges. We promote good citizenship beyond Corporate Social Investment (CSI), or 1% Net Profit After Tax, to grow opportunities for innovative partnerships beyond business as usual.
Through the FNBB Foundation we recognise the importance of involving our employees to participate on a voluntary basis as part of the Staff Volunteer Programme to help uplift those in the communities in which we operate. Employees identify worthy community projects to support during the course of each financial year and these are assessed according to our CSI guidelines.
These initiatives must relate to our core focus which is education; healthcare; skills development; vocational training; support for disadvantaged and handicapped people; arts and culture development; and sports and recreation. Many of the community projects involve infrastructure upgrades, such as the renovation of créches, school classrooms or primary healthcare clinics. This is in line with our policy of supporting community initiatives, rather than individuals, in order to benefit as many people as possible.
Each business segment receives P50 000 a year to fund its work on such projects. Funds are distributed by the FNB Foundation, which administers the CSI funds and is the main vehicle through which the bank provides financial and non-financial support to destitute communities. This is through supporting legitimate non-government organisations (NGOs) and non-profit organisations (NPOs) operating in those areas. We insist on being proactive in our pursuit to deliver CSI interventions that benefit communities from their perspective.
Successes in both aspects of our CSI programme continue to uplift communities and our employees alike. Since its operational inception in 2001, the FNB Foundation has ploughed back P30 million through supporting a range of community upliftment projects.